Worlds Apart
by SilverRider
Summary: PRTF: What was the real reason his departure from Silver Hills...Read it and find out.


**Disclaimer:** PRTF doesn't belong to me; I'm merely borrowing the characters. The title doesn't belong to me either. The characters you don't recognize are mine. No profit is being made out of this.

**Special Note:** **_Sierra_**, Welcome back and enjoy this little gift. I know we talked about this setting b4, but I finally took the risk and worked on it. The dictionary for some new words.

**Timeline:** Takes place during Prep School.

**Author's Note:** This is sort of what Wes should have added. Plot is slightly twisted from what he told the other rangers.

* * *

_**   
Worlds Apart **_

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* * *

**_

Wes sighed as he leaned on his locker. His head was aching, to a point that it would soon become a full-blown headache. For the past few hours he had been trying to find Eric, but so far his search had gone nowhere. He had looked in every single corner of the school, even in the library for Christ sake – last place on this earth Eric would ever walk into. The thought made him laugh, then sigh.

Once it would have been easier for him to brush the disappearing act of Mr Myers aside, but today there was a difference.

There was a rumor going around, he knew for sure, but regarding what; he didn't know. There were whispers behind his back, of Eric, of stealing. But the information wasn't enough for him to believe anything at the moment or know what the trouble was.

Or even who started it, but he would be damned if he didn't stop this.

He wanted so bad to put the fist his hands had formed – right into the face of the person who did this.

Before he could muster up the courage to do anything, he felt a light touch to his shoulder. He turned his head lightly to his right and saw another set of blue eyes, much like his own, look at him.

"Though I'd find you here, Collins," the person said before his lips broke into a grin. It was his own way of trying to cheer his friend up.

Danny Quinn, one of the nicest guys he had the honor of knowing. While he might have looked tough, he was the biggest marshmallow Wes knew. Even being blond and nearly six feet tall didn't faze the guy feathers. If anything did, it was the sight of someone poor and lonely.

"Danny." Wes greeted the other boy somewhat calmly, something he wasn't feeling. Still he kept his gaze leveled and waited for the other boy to say something.

"You heard about Eric, right?" He knew something wasn't right with the full story he heard.

"This and that." His voice was sober, somehow soft, and steadier than it should have been. This surprised him.

"Yeah, me too." He shot a quick glance around him, then took Wes's arm, guiding him along the hallway and into an empty room. "Ok, I heard more than my share, but I'll warn you it's not pretty."

"As Philips would say," referring to the butler Wes knew at home, "humor me." His arms crossed over his chest, he waited.

"Well, I heard that Jupiter placed the papers on Eric's desk."

Baffled, Wes blinked. "What the hell are you talking about?" he said, and paced.

"Wes," Danny lifted one hand and stopped Wes from pacing further, "everyone here knows that Eric was caught with the answers to the exams papers as he tried to return them."

"What?" Anger was clearly written in his eyes. Unable to work up a smile, Wes planted his feet on the ground. "Are you telling me Jupiter placed the papers in Eric's dorm room and...and...."

All Danny could do was nod. He made a gesture with his hand, but let it fall in defeat. He had, Danny realized, no way of helping his friend.

Jupiter Anderson was one hell of a bully. Ever since they joined the school, he had an instant dislike for Eric. Some of the students had their own theory.

But Wes knew the real reason, Jupiter's problem lay in not in status, but in the fact that Eric was from a different race and that he worked hard. Jupiter's laziness in his studies was the reason for hating Eric. For that Wes could blame Jupiter. Eric worked his butt off to get the grades he deserved, and now all his hard work seemed nothing. Wes shook his head sadly. Some things he admitted were just impossible to ignore.

"Do you know where Eric is now?" he asked Danny.

"Yeah." He nodded, but somehow he felt helpless. "He's with Burton."

When the realization struck, Wes's jaw dropped in shock. "Oh shit."

* * *

"For the last time, Mr Myers, can you please explain it to me, why the papers were in your possession?" Principle Burton asked.

"How the hell should I know?" Eric stated for what seemed like eternity. "I woke up this morning to find those papers on my desk." Feeling irritated with himself, Eric forced himself not to jump and strangle the man sitting opposite to him. Something he was finding not a tad too easy right now.

As much as it was tempting to do, he wasn't a sort of a person who would take action on his thoughts. _A form of control_, he though amazingly. Who would have guessed.

"We can sit and debate, Mr Myers."

"If you think I'm lying, expel me." He shrugged, he was naturally out of energy and was becoming frustrated at the man behind the desk. He rubbed his temple, to ease some of the pressure off.

Why couldn't he see that the truth was being told? Eric had no clue howsoever, about the papers and how they came to be on his desk – where he had fallen asleep studying. However more, Eric knew the man behind the desk wouldn't able to see the truth if it was given to him on a silver platter.

If he weighed his word against this airtight case that was presented to his face, there was no way he would be able to prove his innocence.

"In that case..." The sudden jerk in the voice had Eric snapping his head right up. "I'm sorry to say, Mr Myers, you are expelled from this school."

_Well jolly_, he though sarcastically, _better than the court room_.

"And," the old man continued, "You will leave by the end of the week."

And that, Eric noted, was only three days way. He nodded as he stood up and turned towards the door, and paused.

"Mr Burton," he looked back at the principal, "if the truth ever comes out, don't bother looking for me." A plan had already formed in his head and he closed the door firmly behind him.

* * *

He sighed as he cursed after closing the door of his dorm room behind him. Adjusting his sight to the deep darkness of the room, he threw his jacket on the chair, loosening his tie as he placed his butt on the bed.

His choices were limited, of that he was totally aware. So narrow he needed to think carefully of them. To know where he would go and what he would or could do. He had survived before and he would survive after this.

Rocking his upper body as he tried to keep his thoughts in check; leaving was the only choice, not only the school but Silver Hills as well. He would go as far as he could, away from the memories, away from Wes – the only friend he had ever known. Shutters came over his eyes, as the pang of regret shot through him. It would hurt, more than he had come to realize.

Walking up to the window, he threw the curtains back, letting the sunshine sparkle in. He leaned against the cool glass inside the frames, allowing his gaze to roam around the campus. He saw the students walking across the school grounds towards classes, others running late for lectures. He smirked, here the flow of life never seemed to change. His eyes averted to two blonds – knowing it was Wes and Danny – making their way for another student they both knew. He saw them talk, the black haired one shook his head in what seemed to be disappointment and walked away. Wes sighed and spoke to Danny, before his gaze moved towards Eric's direction.

With what he thought was instinct Eric stepped away from the view. But the pain and confusion in the blue eyes never left him. He breathed in and out to calm himself. It was going to be a lot harder to break the news of his leaving to Wes than he originally thought.

Rubbing his face with both hands, he tried to relax, but to no avail. What a mess, he smirked, a very nice way of paying back someone for their gesture of friendship.

The same friend he had tried to ignore, tried not to get too friendly with, had somehow carved a soft spot in Eric's heart. A spot, he knew, which had no intention of being there in the first place. Ignoring the unidentified pain that shot through him, he stared out of the widow, into the blue cloudless sky.

He would have to – with no other choice – build the same wall around himself again. The old one had already crumbled, but with this one he hoped it would last. For how long he wasn't sure, but he would make sure it was strong enough to get him past the next three days...

* * *

_He looked around the school, his gaze full of uncertainty, he was a rich kid like them, but somehow he didn't feel he belonged in the same crowd. Never ran in the same circle as them, he admitted. _

_His eyes roamed, there were already guys in packs, making their own friends, it was something Wes admitted he would never be a part of. _

_Not directly._

_Sidelines were his specialty. He would roam in and out of these sets. He was, he noted, a loner. Even being rich didn't guarantee friends for a lifetime. He sighed, blinked, and from the corner of his eyes he caught a dark, tall, yet build boy, who like him seemed a loner sitting in the shade of the tree. Wes grinned and turned._

"_You can go now, Philips," he kindly told the loyal butler; at the aged man's nod, Wes picked up his suitcase and his backpack, and headed towards the other boy sitting near the trees. _

"_Hi, I'm Wes." He offered his hand, letting it fall when the dark Asian snorted. He felt the almond shaped eyes inspect him head to toe. Feeling uneasiness, he loosened his tie a bit. _

_Ok, sure, he wasn't like the other kids, but he was happy with his aloofness and goofy grin. But this guy seem a little bit harsh, judging from his face._

"_I'm Eric." Wes noted the flatness in the voice, but also the edge. _

_That cold huh? He mused, "Icy aren't you?" and made himself comfortable by taking the empty spot next to Eric. _

_Shifting a bit, "Meaning?" letting his eyes burn into Wes's. Eric knew any sane person would have whimpered, but his gaze didn't seem to faze Wes. That was something Eric admitted he could admire. _

"_Not too friendly are you?" Wes shrugged._

_Eric's eyebrows rose. "Who said anything about that?" he shot at him. _

"_Your attitude." _

Eric's attitude was the least of his worries at the moment as Wes tried to get some studying done that evening. Seeing the fuzziness, he put aside his books and stared at the ceiling. Since this afternoon he was being avoided, he realized. It had taken him a few hours to come to terms with it, and now it was like a kick in the guts. A pain he didn't know he could feel. While he thought of Eric as a friend, said he was his friend, but sometimes he felt Eric didn't see that, or if he did he didn't acknowledge it.

He had seen Eric in his room, not before Eric had stepped out of his view. He had seen some sadness written on that well-shaped face of his. He had been tempted to bang on his door till he was inside that room; a punch in Eric's face would have been justice for him, Wes admitted.

He knew for a fact that this was one of many attempts of the Mighty Myers – as some students like to call him – to brush him aside. It was hard for him to swallow that; not only did he know Eric needed him, but that he couldn't afford to brush Wes aside, not at a time like this.

With another pulse of anger running through him, restless, he paced.

There was something not quite right, yet not fishy. Jupiter's plan, Wes noted, was coming along just fine. His face firmed, anger lit in the blue depth of his eyes.

He was helpless in every way he knew. His word against Jupiter's would never be taken. That was the power the brown haired idiot had. Simply, he knew the other boy had connections, powerful ones. While Wes might not be in the same circles, he knew the way it operated.

That was the only power he had. He let himself fall flat on his bed.

It was weak and pathetic, and even his father would have called him a fool. How sad, Wes thought now. If only he had listened to his father, if only he ran in the same circle as Jupiter, if only he knew some way to help Eric, if only he.... Grunting, he shoved himself from his bed and looked out into the night. His own face reflected back from the glass.

He wasn't his father; he was his own person, who had wanted to make a life on his own, without shadows; without weights or pressures.

To be a person he wanted himself to be, something Eric knew how to get, the way he knew where he wanted to go.

That was his sole reason for admiring Eric; he had such courage in him, and pride, something Wes didn't know a person could have.

Or earn.

To watch and learn, but he did learn all right. He learnt a way to stand by a friend, and learnt it the hard way.

Now his only friend didn't need him to stand by him. Eric would not tell him what went on in Burton's office that afternoon. He knew Eric wasn't the sort of person who believed in confiding, let alone doing it.

He heard a soft knock on his door and inhaled deeply. "It's open," Wes called back and heard the knob turn.

"Hey, you coming to dinner or what?" the voice asked.

Wes turned and saw Danny leaning on the door jam. "Still worried?" he asked softly, after reading Wes's face.

"Yeah." He hated to admit it, but facts were facts. Even if Eric wasn't his friend he still would be worried. Simply because such was Wes's nature.

"He's a big boy, Wes." Danny shook his head. "All we can do is stand by him in this."

Wes made a face. "I don't have to like it, you know," and pulling on his leather jacket he walked to the door.

"Neither do I," Danny muttered barely audibly as he followed Wes out of the room.

* * *

The loud chatter of students in the cafeteria was deafening enough to drive a sane man crazy, Eric thought as he stood in line waiting to be served and looked around. Spotting Wes and Danny he swore. He took a glance at the guys on both sides of him, and relaxed that they hadn't heard him swear. He stiffened when he saw Jupiter coming in his direction.

"Well, well, if it isn't Myers," Jupiter taunted. Eric stared ahead, ignoring the bully. Cutting the line, Jupiter glared at Eric. "If you weren't a lowlife, you might just get somewhere in life."

That remark stabbed into Eric's heart, but he forced himself not to shed a tear; couldn't ignore the facts of the words. True, he was a lowlife, trying to make a name for himself. Getting accepted into a posh high school, he had promised himself that he would finish his studies. But even now that promise seems to have faded into nothing.

Just like the rest of him.

"And if you weren't a dumb jock you might get some good grades," a voice challenged.

Eric didn't have to look at the person to know it was Wes. _Don't bring yourself into this, Wes, _he prayed, knowing it was too late to get the same words out.

"Yeah, Collins," Jupiter smirked, eyeing Wes carefully, "What you gonna do?"

Wes gulped and risked a glance at Eric. "Well....um..." he tried to think, but his mind was too blank.

In two strides Jupe had Wes by the collar of his shirt, pulling Wes nose to nose; Jupe growled, baring his teeth, then dragged his victim into the center of the café, into a circle already formed by students. Some were cheering for Wes, others for Jupiter.

Eric watched in horror; Wes wasn't only aloof, but nuts as well. He was about to get beaten up for him. He was as Jupiter said nothing but a lowlife. He couldn't allow Wes to fight his battle for him. The boy was a fool and they both knew it. He tried to make his way into a clear view, heard a hoot for Jupiter, knowing he had slammed a fist into Wes's face.

Another hoot from Jupe. Knowing it was another punch on Wes's face.

He kept pushing himself into the front. When he got there, he saw blood seeping from Wes's nose and a black eye, swollen. Next thing he heard was a whistle blowing, and the crowd cleared.

"Who started this?" Mr Drake, the head of the PE, bellowed. As if obeying the order, the whole room in unison pointed to Jupiter Anderson.

"Detention for one week, Mr Anderson. Mr Myers," Mr Drake turned to look at Eric, "please take Mr Collins to the nurse."

Not trusting his voice, Eric nodded.

* * *

An hour later, Wes looked at Eric; the features on his face were too calm to be true. Ice in the air was so thick Wes had no idea how to break it. He had an ice bag supporting his right eye and a cotton bud in his nose – to stop the bleeding.

Inhaling, he tried, "Would you stop pacing and blow up?"

Eric retorted, "Got a big mouth on you, but can't even use a fist!"

"If he had a fist he wouldn't need the mouth," a third voice snickered.

"Shut up, Quinn," Eric snapped, angling his head in Danny's direction.

"I do have a fist, black belt in Karate, remember?" Wes's words fell on deaf ears.

"I would, Myers, if I knew how." Giving Eric a loopy grin Danny made himself comfortable, and enjoyed the side benefit of driving Eric nuts.

"Yeah, yeah, a bunch of barking dogs." Eric's lips curled slightly as he waved at Danny, his hand in a shooing motion. "So how come you didn't come to Prince Charming's rescue?" He jerked his thumb in Wes's direction. Better get them used to this now or else.

Wes laughed. "Prince Charming?" Getting an odd look from Eric, he straightened up.

"Now you wouldn't want to scar that pretty face of you now would you?" Eric snorted, patting Wes's cheek and walking out.

"What's with him?" he asked Danny, who shrugged in reply.

"I better ask him."

"Yeah, better." But Wes couldn't hide his confusion; Eric had somehow changed, and Wes had the feeling it was forever. While Eric was always distant, now he seemed cold, too cold for Wes's liking.

* * *

It took Danny two sets of flights down the stairs and half of the quad oval to catch up with Eric.

"Now you wait a damn minute," he barked out; his breathing heavy, and turned Eric to face him. "He," pointing towards Wes's room, "is dead worried about you and all you can do is pat him on the face like nothing had happened?"

"Nothing did happen," Eric protested, shielding himself from the attack.

"Yeah." A challenging gleam came to life in Danny's eyes. "Well, why do you think he took on Jupiter?"

"How in the world should I know?" Eric shot back; all he wanted was to dump everything that happened over the past fourteen hours on someone. Someone who would listen and understand, but such things Eric had come to realize were a luxury for him.

Anger flared in Danny's face. "He's your friend Eric, so am I!" he shouted, jabbing his own chest with one finger. "If you can't accept that...well then to hell with you."

"I don't need a friend." Grating his teeth, Eric forced himself to cool down.

"Well then..._pal_. Good luck in the real world." And he stormed towards his dorm.

* * *

_This is so unfair,_ Eric whined as he stood outside Danny's door. He had given himself an overnight cool down before he made a choice he might come to regret. One would have been a black eye Danny would have gotten. He was so close to doing it. The other...well he only needed one, right?

Scowling at the door, he knocked. "If it's you, Myers, then get lost!"

It was him all right, but he wouldn't go away until he spoke to Danny. "You better let me in for a while or else I'll be late for class." The door swing open and blue eyes were full of shock. "Well, nice to see you too," Eric mocked, rocking on his heels.

Coming to his senses, Danny eyed the Asian carefully. "What you want?" Bluntness wasn't one of Danny's strongest points.

"Came to talk."

"Yeah well, there are plenty of guys around that you can talk to."

He wasn't making it easy, Eric admitted; why should he, after the battle of words they had exchanged last night. "I don't want to talk to them."

"Why?"

There was flatness in Danny's tone, Eric noted, and he made his tone match Danny's. "Simply because I don't trust them. I...I..." After taking a deep breath, he tried again. "I trust you."

"Yeah, why?"

_What do you mean why?_ He groaned, "Not making this easy, are you?"

Delighted, Danny grinned. "Nope," and gestured Eric in, "this better be good," he muttered under his breath.

Hearing his words Eric said, "It's good - well, depends on how you see it," and shrugged.

"Uh huh," he agreed, "but before I listen, I'd better change." He looked at his pajamas.

Eric hooted with laughter and waited; taking a good look around, he sat on the chair. The whole room was clean, somehow giving Danny a different light. He had thought the guy's room would in the same condition as his backpack, a total mess.

But somehow he had always had a different angle with Danny. He wasn't what he appeared to be. Not many people were, when it came down to it. But one thing he knew for sure, Danny was the most honest person he had ever met. There was something about him that made you feel at ease; comfortable was more of a term that suited him. Grinning lazily, he let his body go limp in the chair and enjoyed the relaxation. He almost fell asleep, when the slamming of the door put him on his guard.

"Relax." Danny's voice swam into the room. "It's not a ghost," and he watched Eric rub sleep from his eyes. "What, didja stay up all night?" he asked with concern.

Eric bobbed his head. "Yeah, too much on my mind."

"Care to share it?" When Eric nearly protested he added, "Come on, you need to tell someone."

Sighing in defeat, he debated. He knew he could trust Danny, but he was still uncertain. "I...um...I came up with a plan and I need your help."

"Ah."

"Don't Ah me; I need to know if you will help me."

"Do I know what your plan is?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Nope."

"Well wiseass, then how do you expect me to agree?" And he rapped Eric's head.

"Ow, what was that for?"

"Wiseass," Danny only repeated with a smirk. Placing his butt on the bed, he patiently waited for Eric to continue.

"I need for you to make Wes think for the next three days that...I ..." he stared at his hands, "that I only wanted to compete with him, to be better than he is."

"You really think he's going to buy that?" With both eyebrows raised, Danny looked at Eric.

"I can always hope, right?" A light shrug came. "Make him believe it."

"First of all, I can't make him do anything; second there is no guarantee that your plan will work, unless of course you have thought the whole thing through to every last detail."

Eric sighed in defeat. This was going to be a lot harder than he had thought. Just harder. "But you can try, right?"

There was something unarguably sad about the whole thing, Danny decided, a friendship being torn apart or rather being sliced in half by force. It was something he wished never to experience, but here he was seeing two people he had grown to care for go in different directions with little choice left to them. Both were different as day and night. One was kind and friendly, the other rough and harsh. Yet both offered the other something neither had.

To see that crumble was just as sad as seeing a pet die.

"Yes I can try," he nodded, thinking of something to say to Wes. "But don't count on your luck." It was a warning.

"I won't, but will you let me know what happens, right?" He got up and collected his backpack, his hand already covering the doorknob.

Danny swallowed a hard lump in his throat, but still nodded. "I will and I'll try my best, Eric. And knowing Wes, it should take a little time, but..."

"Yeah, sure thing." And he exited Danny's dorm room.

* * *

It would take a hellva lot of convincing for Wes to believe what Eric had planned. If he was lucky, it just might get pulled off. Danny sighed, he hated being the one to break the news. But it had to be done; he had to throw Wes off the track.

But he had no plan of his own, how was he to form one? He groaned.

"What's with Eric?" Wes panted, giving Danny an opening shot.

Careful to conceal any expression from leaking, he looked at Wes lazily. "Um...not sure. From the looks of it, I say he's trying to compete with you."

Wes laughed, as he patted dry the sweat from his face. "You're kidding, right?" and moved his gaze from Danny to Eric, seeing his friend practice, he was at a loss. It didn't add up, not for him. Eric wasn't a person who would compete.

"No." Sadly, he shook his head. Sensing the confusion, Danny continued, "But I don't think he ever told anyone about it," and smirked.

"And it's obvious now?" There was a bite in the way he said it that had Danny wincing.

"Yeah, I guess." He gave a rueful look.

Wes sighed, "He didn't say anything about the you know what?"

Danny knew he was indicating the talk between Eric and the principal. "No, I...I forgot to ask," and gave a light shrug.

"Forgot to ask!?" It was a question as well as an exclamation.

"Um...yeah." And he ran his fingers through his hair. "Well, if he wanted to say he would have, right?"

Looking uncertain, Wes gave Danny a sour face. When he tried to speak nothing came out of his mouth.

"Move," Eric barked, making both boys jump out of their skins, and picked up his towel when Danny moved out of his way.

"Jesus, Eric, single word commands are for dogs," Wes commented.

"Never noticed." Giving Wes an ironic look, he turned to look at Danny. "What's your excuse?" Getting a shrug from the other blond, Eric made a sound between disappointment and laziness. "Brats," and walked away.

Danny smirked, Wes looked somewhere between shocked and torn. "Wow," he finally managed to get some words out, "and what was that supposed to mean?" Frowning, he looked at Danny.

"Who knows?"

"Collins, Quinn, you're up next!" the karate teacher yelled from the other end of the large spacious hall.

Wes groaned, "I hate this class."

"Sure you do." And Danny nudged Wes onto the mats. Taking their positions, Danny faced Wes. "Don't worry, he will get over it," knowing that fact wasn't true.

"Sure he will," Wes snorted, kicking at Danny's face, which he blocked, and falling back when his other foot was kicked into. "Might take time, but hey, I can wait."

Danny shook his head as he held his arm out to Wes. "Don't count on it," and grinned when Wes growled and marched into the shower room.

* * *

"You sonofabitch!" Wes grabbed Eric's shoulders and swung the other boy to face him. "What the hell is wrong with you?" His face was inches away; his eyes narrowed and he was pissed as hell.

Eric smirked. "I'm totally sane."

Pushing in further into the wall he tried again. "You are not the person I knew!"

"Neither are you."

At that statement, Wes's eyes went wide; loosening his grip on Eric he took a few steps back and shook his head in denial. "I'm not the one who is in trouble, Eric." He forced himself to look into the brown eyes.

He sighed, "No, it wasn't you," and looked at the blond, placing his head on the wall for support, he let the silence take over.

"What happened?" Wes asked, after what seemed like ages.

"With what?" Knowing the reason behind the question; he was fully aware what Wes wanted to know. He couldn't tell, wouldn't tell. It wasn't Wes's battle, it was his. And he would not allow someone else to fight it for him.

Building up his courage, "With Burton of course."

Feeling a bit guilty, Eric exhaled deeply. "Nothing happened" _Liar._

"You sure?" Wes asked, studying Eric.

"Of course I am." He walked away and gathered his stuff, taking a look over his shoulder. "Well, see ya," and walked out of the room.

* * *

Even a moron would have known something was wrong. Could detect the edge in the replies he got out of Myers earlier. Even sensing the edge, he ignored it; he forced himself to ignore it.

Didn't reason with himself that he could get hurt, a punch from Eric would result in having a broken jaw. But he calculated it would be worth it. He snorted; worth it, yeah right.

Something else was eating him alive and Wes wasn't sure what it was. There was a hint at the back of his head, but he couldn't pinpoint it. He had tried, but it wouldn't come, maybe it wasn't its time yet. Soon he might find out. But till then all he could do was wait.

* * *

"You're completely nuts!"

The understatement of the year, Eric noted; a lazy smile spread on his face. "You reckon?" With a shake of his head he tried to get some studying done.

"Yeah, of course." Danny gave a shrug, "You're expelled from this school by Friday and you're sitting here, studying."

"What would you have me do? Party?" Ironically he raised an eyebrow.

Danny laughed. "No, but I'm sure there is something better then poking your head in the books, Myers."

"Yeah, I'm sure."

_Edgy_, he thought. Nervous maybe, Eric was, he wasn't really sure what he wanted to do after he left the school. He sighed and looked out of the window, things weren't going well. Not for any one of them, that was the sad part. The three of them had formed a bond in the last twenty-four hours and in another forty-eight hours it would become nonexistent.

Like it was never there before; only two of them would hopefully carry on the bond that brought them together in the first place. But right now he knew one needed a shoulder to lean on and the other would also....soon. Very soon. "I'm not sure," he said, after few minutes of silence.

"Yeah." Amused, Eric closed the book he was reading and faced the blond.

"Don't start," he warned; he wasn't in the mood for fighting and from the way Eric was talking it seemed he was looking for one.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Quinn." He wagged a finger at Danny, like a father disapproving his child's action.

Grinning, "Please, like I would ever make you mad."

"Someone already did," he added dryly.

"Yeah, who?"

"Wes."

"He didn't buy the whole you're-in-competition crap?"

"What competition crap?" Eric asked in shock.

"He asked what was wrong with you and I told him that you were competing because you wanted to be better than he was."

"No wonder he was pissed." Eric blew a breath out. "Nearly had his fist in my face." Danny winced. "And..." he trailed off, before speaking again. "You got another trick up your sleeve?"

"No, but I'm sure I can think of one," and took a sideway glance at Eric. "Trust me, this one might be worth it."

"Uh huh," he agreed. "Only two more days to go."

"Don't remind me." Danny made a sour face and watched Eric laugh.

"Now get out of my hair so I can study."

"I'm going, I'm going," Danny mumbled as he was shooed out of the room. Once the door was slammed in his face, only then did he dare to swear, "I'll try my best, Myers; if that doesn't work you're on your own."

* * *

End of Part One...

Do please leave a review on your way out

If anyone has any idea what I can do for part 2, please email me or leave it in the review.


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